


these violent delights have violet ends

by ryswell



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Percy Jackson Fusion, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-24 00:39:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16170038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ryswell/pseuds/ryswell
Summary: “Prince Rhaegar loved his Lady Lyanna, and thousands died for it.”My fics for the Rhaegar x Lyanna AU Week on Tumblr.





	1. canon divergence

**Author's Note:**

> (The title perfectly describes R/L in canon imo??)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bastard!Rhaegar AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this might've been done before?

When the king’s bastard places a crown of blue roses upon her lap Lyanna cannot help but bea, even as Benjen glares boyishly and Brandon must be kept from calling the man crude names, no doubt mentioning his unfortunate status. Crown Prince Viserys is cheering with the crowd though and Lyanna wears the flower crown with grace and gratitude. 

 

Beside them Robert Baratheon laughs and his Princess Elia notes the way the colours of the flowers match her gown. 

 

Afterwards Lyanna manages to escape her brothers and makes her way through the crowd of excited smallfolk to where Rhaegar Waters speaks with Ser Arthur. She almost calls him ‘your grace’ but that wouldn’t do, would it? He’s lord of some keep, she believes, but decides to stick with ser. “Ser Rhaegar, might I speak with you?” The men turn, Dayne muttering about how he must find his sister. 

 

“Lady Lyanna. The crown suits you well, my lady.” 

 

Why me, she wonders. Why crown me when there are other ladies of the realm here, most importantly Queen Rhaella and Cersei Lannister (betrothed to Prince Viserys). Why? Lyanna looks right into his violet eyes, hair still unkempt from the riding. “Ser, do you often honour ladies you do not know?” She asks heatedly, perhaps a little worried for her reputation. It’s not that he’s a bastard, truly, but she is yet unbetrothed and her father is an ambitious man. 

 

There is amusment tugging at his lips. “It is true to say I do not know you personally, my lady, but I know of you. Even in the capital they speak of Lord Rickard’s daughter and her beauty and the dreams he has for her. You Starks have honour and a rather strong sense of justice. I saw that firsthand when you had your way with those squires who harmed your father’s bannermen. That was a brave act, my lady, rash, yes, but incredibly kind. How does the man fare?”

 

The Northerner in her cannot help but smile a little - they are a proud people, after all. It isn’t the worst thing in this world to be called beautiful, honourbale, brave and kind by the son of a king. “Howland is well enough, he was shy already though. We Starks protect our own fiercely, ser.”

 

“I see that, my lady,” Rhaegar Waters ackonwledges, pulling his riding gloves off. “I pray you aren’t geuinely bothered I crowned you, and it would pain me if your reputation is damned due to my actions.”

 

He is rather gracious, she supposes, and noble depsite his lack of title. “My reputation is of little concern to me, ser, and any who know me have little faith in me becoming the Mother made flesh.” Rhaegar laughs softly, eyes twinkling and yes, Lyanna supposes that not all bastards are bad at all. 


	2. books au (percy jackson)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy Jackson AU

Rhaegar Targaryen was a son of Athena and leader of Cabin 6, a master strategist (which is why his team very rarely lost at capture-the-flag) and known for his good advice and odd relationship with the Oracle. 

 

As a proud, bold daughter of Artemis, Lyanna had little worry about getting what she wanted. And yes, maybe she did fancy Rhaegar Targaryen like Lysa from the Demeter Cabin had suggested. He was quite handsome though and very smart (he was going to NYU, apparently), he was pretty sensible too but not stuck up like some kids of Athena are - no, she’d seen him laughing with Hermes’ Arthur plenty of times. 

 

Still, she shouldn’t be focusing on that, not when she’s meant to be watching some of the Apollo kids trying to get to the top of the climbing wall with Lysa. To be fair, Lysa is more concerned watching that horrible boy from Ares, Petyr? Lyanna cannot stand him - only Lysa can, really. 

 

Jaime Lannister of Apollo reaches the top, earning the cheers and claps from the crowd and Lyanna uses the excitement as an escape - Lysa was away anyway - and goes to get some coke from the dining hall. She’s just wrestled the last can off a kid of Hermes when she walks right into - Rhaegar Targaryen. “Shit, sorry,” Lyanna says, cringing at herself. At least she didn’t spill anything down him? He shakes his head, saying there’s nothing to be sorry for. “So, did you enjoy the competition?”

 

Rhaegar shrugs as they start walking to where a bunch of younger kids are swimming at the beach, trying to drown each other. “It was good. I hear even Mr D thinks Jaime’s going somewhere big.” Lyanna’s heard that, and that even Apollo has heard of his son’s talent - that’s pretty rare. “Hey, so… you know how school’s starting next week?” She nods. “Well, are you free this weekend?”

 

Anyone else and Lyanna would say packing, duh. But she has the teeny tiniest feeling that he’s just maybe asking her out on a date. Like, a holding-hands-through-Central-Park and ice-skating-at-Rockefeller and walks-through-the-Museum-of-Art date. Maybe even a kissing date. A date. With Rhaegar Targaryen, the most popular boy in camp, the one who was sent approximately one hundred Valentines cards, the one she has had a crush on for years. 

 

“Yeah, I’m not doing anything this weekend,” Lyanna shrugs, not at all casually. “Eh, why?” Don’t get too hopeful, don’t get too hopeful, she tells herself. How can she help it though…

 

He smiles, almost shyly? “I’m going to New York after I leave camp. You live in the city right? Yeah. So, maybe we could spend the day together? You can call your dad and everything but… yeah. Lyanna would you like to go to New York with me next week?”

 

An arrow flies over their heads and there’s an odd sound like an explosion coming from Ares’ Cabin. “Sure, yes. Absolutely. Thanks, Rhaegar, I’d love to,” she tells him, as sincerely and awkwardly as he asked her. He grins and they sit back down to watch some Aphrodite kids on the Climbing Wall, Lyanna happily sipping her coke. 


	3. mythology au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Helen of Troy/Paris inspired AU

Robert wants her only for Sparta, her kingdom, and does not love her for all he claims to with flowers and songs. All her life people have called her beautiful she started to wonder if having good looks helped not at all - certainly she is the only girl to pray to Aphrodite to take her beauty. She loves her people and likes to think herself a good enough ruler but she was not made to sit a throne and wear a crown, to be responsible for so many. In the beginning, Robert took some of the pressure which she was grateful for. Then he took all her power, having her as a figurehead only. 

 

The thing that first strike her about Rhaegar, King of Troy, is that the first thing he calls her is not beautiful but wise. “You seem a wise woman, your highness.” At those words she was already half in love. 

 

Later, after her brother Brandon weds a Ryswell, starting yet another feud with some relatives, Lyanna sees Rhaegar once more. They have written each other letters (all coded, to be sure) in the past year and he knows her one desire, that she has told no other; freedom. She could ask a hundred thousand things but instead Lyanna smiles her truest smile and asks, “How far is Troy on a ship, your highness?”

 

Perhaps she should’ve written a letter to Brandon but he was always busy in his own city, fighting to make up for his own mistakes. If I asked him to set me free he’d have told me to do my duty and be brave. Lyanna has always liked to think of herself as brave but when she boards the ship set for Troy, she prays to Poseidon to keep the waves calm lest she be ill from seasickness and fear. 

 

She gets there to hear news that Robert has declared war on Troy, on Rhaegar, and fights to get her back. I do not belong to you, Lyanna thinks with not a little fury. Neither does she belong to Rhaegar, but he never wanted her as his property. Robert was cruel to her but charming to others and manages to convince many kings and demigods to support his cause. He paints an honourable picture: a grieving husband fighting for his stolen beloved. Except they did no love each other and he was likely fighting more for glory than grief. 

 

The Trojans despise her for bringing war to their city, Rhaegar’s siblings think her a foolish girl and Lyanna cannot believe that the one time she decides to think selfishly she starts one of the greatest wars in history. The Trojan War, they call it, inspiring songs already. 

 

The face that launched a thousand ships, she is already being called. Lyanna hates it. 

 

Rhaegar promises to fight for her, kissing her mouth and nose and eyelids. That selfish part of her wants him to stay right here, the two of them relaxing forever in the cosy bed. But there is a war at their doorstep- Rhaegar’s doorstep and like all men he has care for his reputation and his city and fights beside the on the field. 

 

Let him live, Lyanna prays each day he goes to fight Robert, who sends constantly for her - come, and Troy shall pay for it’s crimes and we will be happy again. Did he ever know her? Lyanna wonders for a long while and comes up with a simple answer. No.

 

Cruel as it is Lyanna doesn’t care an ounce if Robert dies but she asks the gods to spare Rhaegar. If he dies this shall all be for naught, if he dies I will truly be alone. Keep him alive, she asks them, begs them.


	4. modern au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some sort of bookshop au

It was Ned’s birthday and Lyanna had no clue what to get him. She knew him well, obviously, and likes to think she’s a good gift giver (Brandon and Benjen are always happy enough) but he was so difficult. His boyfriend Robert had suggested an Xbox but Lyanna suspects that’s more for him than Ned. Then he’d said another dog or some new trainers or books from the new bookshop Ned had apparently liked. The last option was a good one - finally. 

 

Lyanna had never been to it but knew it was one of the big new bookshops one of those massive businesses owned. What did Ned read? She had no clue, he was never that big into adventure stories when they were little. Still, it’s the best option she has. 

 

The shop is quite big, busy and looks very nice and modern. She looks through some isles but doesn’t think prayer books, self help or romance are the type of thing Ned would read. 

 

She looks through some autobiographies - would Ned be at all interested in the life of Stalin? - and is giving up, remembering the pet shop nearby when a soft voice says, “Is there anything I can help with?” The voice belongs to a man with pale blonde hair and sparkling eyes, who isn’t wearing the worker’s uniform but does seem to know what he’s doing. 

 

“Um, yes. I’m trying to find something for my brother,” Lyanna says, smiling at him. 

 

“What’s he interested in?” the man asks. At her blank look he laughs. “Yeah, it’s can be hard to describe your siblings. Oh, I’m Rhaegar by the way, Rhaegar Targaryen?”

 

She shakes his outstretched hand. “I’m Lyanna - wait, you’re Betha Blackwood-Targaryen’s son?” Betha Blackwood-Targaryen, famous writer and feminist who had spoken at Lyanna’s college and open this bookshop-chain and made a lot of money off it. 

 

“Yeah, that’s me. I’m here with my mother, just making sure everything is running smoothly,” Rhaegar tells her as they walk past the UFO section - Ned believes in facts and evidence, not aliens, despite all Brandon had done to convince him otherwise. Lyanna wants to say he doesn’t have to help her, he must be so busy after all, but he asks, “Are you from Scotland? It’s just the accent…”

 

“I am. I came down here for school and sort of didn’t leave,” Lyanna says, not entierly sure why she’s opening up to a stranger. 

 

Rhaegar nods. “So, any Scottish books?” That’s not a bad idea, actually, Ned is very Scottish and proud of his heritage. Through their mum’s side they were (very) distant descendants of Robert the Bruce. “History, maybe?” Well, that’s a perfect idea. Ned was good at every subject but especially history.

 

“That is actually a very good idea,” she admits, wondering how Rhaegar Targaryen could know her brother better than her. “Anything about old Scottish kings fighting for their indepnendence against the evil English would be perfect for him.”

 

Rhaegar takes her to the right section, and together they go through the titles on Scottish history and once she’s picked one that she thinks Ned’ll like Rhaegar even goes with her as she pays for it, the two of them talking about Scotland and books. “I’ll leave you here,” Rhaegar says and Lyanna boldly decides to give him her phone number.

 

“Maybe you can teach me more about Scotland?” She asks before leaving the shop. She looks back in time to see him laugh.


	5. historical au

Lyanna is glad to be home from visiting Aunt Branda’s estate near London. Did you know my son is close to members of parliament? Did you know my daughter is betrothed to a minister? No, she didn’t know and nor did she particularly care. It was very nice to be back home, even if she was lacking two brothers. Ned was working in parliament now and Benjen was beginning at Oxford. Brandon was back from his travels but was busy with his wife Catelyn and their son Edwyle. 

 

She would be going away too, for her final years of education under Mrs Lannister’s tutelage. Why she could not study books with Ned or battles with Benjen was beyond her but she suspected it had everything to do with the fact this world ran by men. 

 

The weather was nice for once and after begging to miss another afternoon of reading old history books Lyanna was allowed a day outside. Due to being with Aunt Branda and being so busy when she got back Lyanna hadn’t been out in the gardens much, despite them being her favourite place in the estate. There was that tree that shaded her from the sun or rain and kept the grass dry, and it was next to a beautiful lakes full of little fish and swans. It was beautiful, essentially. 

 

The flowers are blooming and the sun high in the sky. And there is a handsome young man, wealthy enough by the looks of it, feeding the ducks. He cannot be a gardener. Lyanna gets closer to see his hair is a pale-blonde, almost silver, with lovely blue eyes. 

 

“I do not believe I have yet met you,” Lyanna greets politely, stretching her hand for him to shake. “I am Lyanna Stark, Lord Rickard’s daughter.”

 

The man accepts her hand, smiling a little. “Rhaegar Targaryen. I am to be young Edwyle’s tutor. It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady, I have heard many good things. Correct me if I am wrong but were you not just in London, my lady?”

 

Of course, Brandon had mentioned that his son was to be getting a tutor from London. “The pleasure is mine. And yes, I only got back a few days past. My Aunt Branda insisted on giving me a tour around the city. Have you been, my lord?”

 

“Yes, I studied there. It’s a truly charming place. Have you been to the parliament buildings?” She nods - Ned had shown her. “The palace?” She shakes her head, trying not to laugh. “I’ve been but once, my lady. Extremely overrated,” he jokes. 

 

“No doubt His Majesty would say otherwise.”

 

“Most likely.”

 

Lyanna laughs, guiding Rhaegar back up to her home. Witty, intelligent, handsome. Quite a catch, Lyanna thinks with a grin, listening to Rhaegar’s study plans for young Edwyle. 


	6. types of love

Eros 

He was a terribly handsome man, Lyanna must admit. Her father had her wedded and bedded to Robert Baratheon before she ever got a chance to meet Rhaegar Targaryen. Robert is dead now, his brother ruling as Jon’s regent. Jon, who to the whole world is Robert’s son but Lyanna remembers that blissful night of love and passion and knows that Jon is the king’s son, born from the only pleasant night she spent in bed with another. 

 

Phila

Lyanna cared for Queen Elia when she was ill and adored the little princess and prince, which meant it was only a certain she would on occasion converse with King Rhaegar. He is a delightful man, better than her ignorant, demanding husband. Sometimes - rarely - Lyanna would wonder what it would feel like to kiss him but didn’t think to hard, lest she not be able to focus on the numerous books they discussed together.

 

Mania

Storm’s End was a terrible bore if nothing else and Lyanna found herself having to try rather hard for her to forget that embrace she shared with Prince Rhaegar. When she swells with her babe she thinks of purple eyes and silver hair and how good a father Rhaegar would be to them. Robert cares little of her these days, giving her a lot of time to think on things - on Rhaegar. They begin writing each other and Lyanna cherises each and every letter, finding the curls of his letters give her more satisfaction than Robert ever did in bed.

 

Pragma

When they eventually meet again the lines around Rhaegar’s face are deeper than they once were - Lyanna herself had aged too, most evidedently in her greying hair. “It is so good to see you again,” Lyanna tells him sincerely. Never has she forgotten the moments and memories they shared all those years ago. Their children are older than they were then and Lyanna’s got grandchildren now. How odd that they hadn’t met in decades and yet she still felt the same around him, like she was exactly where she was supposed to be.

 

Agape

They were wed on a warm spring morning, the sun high in the sky and happiness clear on their faces. Lyanna couldn’t believe how lucky she was to be wed to a man she truly loved - most people, including all her brothers, were arranged to wed people who were practically strangers. Let our love be the stuff of songs and legend, or at least let us be happy until the end our days. Lyanna smiles at Rhaegar, thinking that if she is with him her life will indeed be a song.


	7. free day (genderswap au)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> genderswap au

“You seem terribly lonely, my lady,” Lyan tells Rhaena with a sigh. Princess Rhaena and her husband Prince Oberyn had two babes, with another on the way and yet Lyan had never seen the Crown Princess happy in all the duration of the tourney. 

 

Rhaena sits on a ledge of one of Harrenhal’s walls, which looked down to what was meant to be a garden. “Some of us have responsibilities,” she remarks with a mischievous, youthful glint in her lilac eyes. She has a sweet wit - and is absolutely correct. As a third son with two elder brothers betrothed his best bet was the honourable Wall or serving as his brothers’ lord and keeping a castle. Poor Benjen had even worse luck. 

 

“None can know the weight of the crown but for those that wear it, your grace, but from what I’ve hear I would much rather be a free spirit. You might one day rule this world but I am free to roam it,” Lyan argues without any heat. In truth he feels terribly badly for Rhaena, who has the world on her shoulders and no one to help with her unthinkable burden. At least she has her children, if her husband and she get along poorly. Prince Daeron and Princess Naerys were little darlings with their father’s skin and mother’s eyes. For half a second Lyan imagines a child of theirs with grey eyes and pale hair and decides he shouldn’t think of it - he has seen Prince Oberyn in a fight, after all. 

 

“Then I pray you live a fulfilling life, Lyan Stark, for this whole wide world is yours to explore. Do not forget such simple people as us who wear crowns and rule the kingdoms.”

 

Lyan blushes. “I meant no offence, your grace, truly -”

 

A small smile grows on Rhaena’s face. The first true smile Lyan has seen on her. “I am merely jesting, Lyan. I should happily surrender mine own joy if it means my people, especially the loyal ones, live a good, long life.”

 

For some mad reason Lyan feels like kissing her. He only barely contains himself. However, he cannot stop his hand reaching out for hers, holding tight. “You should not have to give up your own happiness for others, your grace. You are too good for most of them at this tourney, certainly.” Then Rhaena presses her cool lips to his cheek and Lyan goes red as a green boy younger than Benjen. 

 

“Thank you, Lyan. I must away, but pray know I shan’t ever forget you.”


End file.
